Paper package



May 7, 1940, T. J. SALSNIAN PAPER PACKAGE Filed April 29, 1938 Patented May 7, 1940 PATENT OFFICE PAPER, PACKAGE Thomas J. Salsman, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rockwell-Barnes Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 29, 1938, Serial No. 2%,952

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a simple and inexpensive paper package which may be used to advantage when enclosing loose sheets arranged in a pile or stack for purposes of storage, ship- 6' ment, or otherwise. The present package may also be opened very easily without the aid of any instrument, whereby to permit removal of sheets to a desired number, while preserving the I package in a condition for further use. As an 10 example of a product for which the present package is especially suitable, I will mention typewriter paper which is commonly boxed in quantities of one ream. For a fraction of the cost of the usual box the present package may be produced and used as serviceably as the usual box, to protect the entire stack of paper both before, during and after shipment, as well as after the package has been opened for removal of part of its contents.

In the drawing, I have illustrated certain suggestive embodiments of my invention in the manner following:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the completed package as it appears when enclosing a quantity of stacked leaves;

Fig. 2, which is a similar view, shows the package distorted along one end to produce a tear along a predetermined line of separation;

Fig. 3, which is a similar view, shows the package after one end has been torn open;

Fig. 4 is a development View of the blank from which the present package may be formed;

Fig. 5 shows the blank in the process of being folded into an enclosing position around a 85 stack of leaves;

Fig. 6, which is a view similar to Fig. 1, shows a package having a slightly modified construction; and

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in 40 section, taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Starting in with the rectangular blank which is shown in Fig. 4, it will be observed that this is provided with two longitudinal score lines a and b relatively close to the side edges, and three transverse score lines 0, d and e. In addition, I

provide a fourth transverse line which is perforated or otherwise weakened to induce separation of the sheet under strain, and being spaced from and related to the score line 6 the same as 0 is the score line 0 to the associated score line d. This line of weakness terminates short of the opposite edges of the sheet. By this arrangement of lines, I provide a central rectangular panel B which forms the bottom of the completed 65 package; adjacent opposite ends of this panel,

two elongated panels E and E forming ends of the completed package; to the outside of the end panels other rectangular panels T and I which together form the top of the completed package; adjacent opposite ends of the two top panels along the sides of the blank other elongated panels S and S forming inner sides for the completed package; and adjacent opposite sides of the bottom panel, along the sides of the blank, two other elongated panels S and S 10 forming outer sides for the completed package.

In addition to the lines produced by scoring and perforations, as just described, I provide incisions i which proceed inwardly from the side edges of the blank, two of them being at the ends 15 of the score line 0 and the other two at the ends of the perforated line all of these incisions terminating at the point of juncture with one of the two longitudinal score lines a or b, thereby forming relatively square spaces each of which 20 is bisected by an oblique line 0 to provide two triangles which serve as flaps in the completed package the setting up of which may be accomplished conveniently by proceeding as suggested in Fig. 5. 6

A stack of loose leaves L which are to be enclosed within the package is set upon the bottom panel B of the blank which is thereupon folded along the score lines at and e to bring the end panels E and E up past the ends of the stack. so

Continuing, further folds are made along the line 0 and the perforated line i so as to bring the panels T and T over the top of the stack. The length'of these top panels is of minor importance, it being desirable that they merely 36 extend far enough to meet each other or overlap whatever distance may he wished. The panels S and S along the sides of the two top panels are folded downwardly along the score line a and b so as to provide inner sides. In executing these if movements, it will be apparent that some excess blank material will be infolded at the corners, and by providing the oblique score lines o in conjunction with the slits z and the score lines adjacent thereto, I form corner accordion pleated 4,5

portions which will swing inwardly under the perforated line and out of the Way in accordance with usual practice, whereby the end wall may be swung outwardly with the support of its accordion pleated connections with the side walls when the enclosure is severed along the perforated line between the pleated portions. Having advanced to this point, the remaining panels S and S along the sides of the bottom are folded upwardly along the score lines a and b so as to produce outer sides for the package. To sustain the package in this erected condition which provides a complete enclosure for the leaf stack, I may apply a paper strip 8 which may be conveniently adhered over the joint or seam between the two top sections T and T the ends of the strip continuing down over for adherence to the outer sides, as shown.

A package so produced is tight and will protect the paper stack therewithin from dust and dirt. In addition, the package is sufliciently strong to stand handling in any of the usual Ways. It may be stacked with other packages in shipping containers for transportation to a distant destination, or a number of such packages may be stacked one on the other for storage. There should be no difficulty about such a package holding together so as to effectively protect the paper contents up to the time that it is to be opened for use.

Owing to the special manner in which the present package is constructed, it is possible without mechanical assistance to open it upon one end for removal of some of the paper leaves. To accomplish this, the package may be seized in the hands to apply a transverse bending or distortion which produces opposed forces along the perforated fold line I. By so proceeding one corner of the package is shifted from its normal plane into another plane so that the strain communicated through the perforated line will cause a rupture of the material between the several perforations thereof. According to the construction illustrated, this perforated line forms a fold line across the package at one end, adjacent the top, and at the completion of this manipulation, the entire fold line constituted by the perforations will have been ruptured. The package end may thereupon be opened out as suggested in Fig. 3, permitting removal of its contents. By folding back the opened end, and either securing it, or backing it against an object or wall, the package will again remain closed until need arises for extraction of further paper leaves therefrom.

it is obvious that this feature of a perforated fold line which lends itself to rupture in response to the manipulating force just described, may be embodied variously into packages which are produced according to this invention. For example, in Fig. 6 a score line g is provided at the point where the perforated line I appears in the blank in Fig. 4, so that in the setup package both ends are defined by horizontal fold lines which are continuous. A perforated line his provided, howslightly removed from the fold line 9', being extended transversely across the top section 'I' with its ends slanted inwardly to the corners where the fold lines a and I) meet with the transverse fold line 9. By applying a force of distortion, as already described, this package will be ruptured along the perforated line it so that the resulting slit or opening will be located in the top rather than at one end. Paper leaves may accordingly be extracted through the slit which is thus provided in the top, instead of through the opening resulting from dropping of the end as in the construction first explained.

After the package is once opened, one end I the top sheet t (or light board with which the paper'stack may be topped) may be extended through the slit to overlie and confine the adjacent flap against movement, as clearly indicated in Fig. '7.

The blank may be formed from a suitable box board, say twenty point. The completed package is devoid of interlocks so that a slight working is possiblea desirable aspect of the package since it must yield to the distorting force just described in order that severance may readily take place along the line of perforations. The only restraining tie is the paper strip which, by preference, is located at a remote point. The double walls along the sides, even though disconnected, alford ample strength to sustain the package in erected condition. The terms top, bottom, ends, and sides are used throughout this specification in a relative sense only, and he meaning imported by these expressions should be determined with reference to the proportions and other relevant conditions of the package which embodies the special features of my invention for which the following claims are made.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a box blank for a stack of loose leaves comprising a paper sheet having sufficient flexibility to permit distortion thereof and being scored to induce folding along intersecting lines to provide for the leaf stack a complete box-like enclosure having interconnected, top, bottom, side and end Walls, one of the score lines intermediate the side walls and adjacent one of the ends being perforated and having slits at the ends thereof, the side walls adjacent said slits having oblique fold lines whereby said sheet may be folded inwardly to form accordion pleats, a swingable end wall being formed when said sheet is distorted and severed on said perforated line, said swingable end wall being connected to said side walls by said accordion pleats.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a box blank for a stack of loose leaves comprising a paper sheet having suificient flexibility to permit distortion thereof and being scored to induce folding along intersecting lines to provide for the leaf stack a complete box-like enclosure having interconnected, top, bottom, side and end walls, said top wall being formed by bringing together opposite ends of the sheet, a strip overlying and connecting said opposite ends, one of the score lines intermediate the side walls and adjacent one of the ends being perforated and having slits at the ends thereof, the side Walls adjacent said slits having oblique fold lines whereby said sheet may be folded inwardly to form accordion pleats, a swingable end wall being formed when said sheet is distorted and severed on said perforated THOMAS J. SALSMAN. 

